‘Mr Katter and Mr Knuth will support the Tackling Alcohol-Fuelled Violence Legislation Amendment Bill 2015 based on the following:
1. Drug offenders can be banned from Safe Night Precincts – Extend the powers of courts to impose banning orders on persons convicted of drug offences in Safe Night Precincts. Currently these banning orders only apply to offences of violence. Any changes to these powers will be subject to consultation with stakeholders and would require legislative changes.
2. Existing $8 million Safe Night Precinct funding can be used to assist transition to new liquor laws: To alter the guidelines for the Safe Night grants to allow applications by Safe Night Precinct Local Boards, for assistance to transition to the new liquor laws, including for security.
3. Trading hours for licensed venues will be implemented in a staged approach
Last drinks to be introduced by July this year as proposed: Firstly, the 2am last drinks will operate in all venues outside of precincts, and 3am last drinks in the precincts, from 1 July 2016.
Lockouts to be effective from 1 February 2017: Secondly, the lockout for the 15 Safe Night Precincts will start on 1 February 2017. This will give operators in those Precincts sufficient transition time. The Bill will be amended to reflect the proposed commencement dates of the different measures. All other measures in the Bill will also commence from 1 July 2016.
4. Independent review of laws from July 2018: The laws will be independently reviewed after two years from the commencement of the legislation, being 1 July 2016. This review will be prescribed in the Bill. This timeframe will ensure that the laws are reviewed 17 months after all measures have commenced.’
(Government media release, 17.2.16)